Greetings lovelies! I’m checking in for what seems to be my bi-annual post. Everything is good here in the Uz. Except, you know, it annoys the shit out of me everyday. However, I did find a place I like here!

Let’s see, I’ve went to Spain and Rome over the past 4 months for vacations and we’ve also went to a place in Uzbekistan... Bukhara. It’s a lovely very old city that’s walkabout. Beautiful madrasas and lovely places to shop for handmade goods. We spent a quick weekend there and thoroughly enjoyed it. I also got a custom ikat open jacket thing made overnight.

I found out where I will be going next year! It’s still a directed assignment, so I got a list of choices, I ranked them and got told which one was chosen for me based on the whole list of people also bidding and our ‘equity’. I pulled a big coup, to say the least. I got Buenos Aires, the Paris of South America. I haven’t heard anything bad about it and I think it’ll be a very big adjustment from here. VERY. BIG. I’m hoping I at least have decent internet there. The beef, wine and things to do will just be a bonus.

It’s almost Marine Ball time, so I’m going to find a seamstress that can possibly make me a custom dress. I’m not sure what dress style would even look good, but I tend to go towards mermaid styles since I have large hips and boobs. A-lines are a big ol’ hell no as they make me look larger than I am. I have a backup dress in case this doesn’t work, but it’s a different color version of the same dress I wore last year..... so I’d like something new and different.

I have also learned how to make some soft cheeses! Thanks to some inspiration from other foreign service people, I bought a cheese making kit and have now successfully made ricotta, mozzarella and feta. I use raw milk from a local store that I pasteurize to the correct temperature and then make cheese from that. There are 2 other people that have learned to make cheese here, so we’re doing a cheesemaking night series with others to share the fun.

Along those same lines, I’m trying to plan my mozzarella making night, but I’m not sure what to make for dinner. We’ve planned it so the group attending (no more than 10) will get to participate as little or as much as they want in the mozzarella making and I will also provide dinner. I’m trying to find a dish that would go well with cheese and wine that can easily be made for a group. I was debating making a lasagna with fresh ricotta or ?? I’m going to premake some mozzarella so there’s plenty there for tasting as well as provide some feta, ricotta, gouda and chevre (both from the store) with olives, crackers, tomato and basil. What sounds good to you guys?

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I will stop my rambling for now.... much love from the other side of the world!